Selective Image Sharing via Area Masking for Privacy

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for inter-terminal graphic sharing in local area networks do not adequately satisfy personalized user requirements or ensure information security, as they lack control over the level of detail shared and are prone to issues like heavy traffic and transmission delays.

Innovation Solution

The method involves determining a sharing area on a graphic displayed on a screen, processing the non-sharing area through monochrome colorization to mask it, and sending the processed graphic over a local area network, allowing secure and personalized sharing between terminals without the need for an operator network or central server support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If complete graphic sharing is implemented between terminals, then information sharing capability is improved, but information security and user privacy are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation sharing capabilityVSAvoidinformation security risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The graphic display area is segmented into sharing area and non-sharing area. The transmit end determines a sharing area on the graphic displayed on its screen, processes the non-sharing area to mask it, and sends the processed graphic to the receive end. This segmentation allows selective information sharing while protecting sensitive content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different areas of the graphic are assigned different quality properties. The sharing area maintains original visual quality for information sharing, while the non-sharing area is processed with monochrome colorization to mask sensitive information. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between sharing and security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If complete graphic data is transmitted between terminals, then sharing completeness is improved, but network traffic increases causing delays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegraphic sharing completenessVSAvoidnetwork traffic overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The non-sharing area is extracted and processed separately from the sharing area. By masking the non-sharing area through monochrome colorization before transmission, unnecessary data is removed, reducing network traffic while maintaining essential sharing functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting complete original graphic data, only the necessary sharing area is transmitted in full quality, while the non-sharing area is transmitted in masked form. This partial action approach reduces traffic overhead while maintaining sufficient sharing completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2905945B1Inter-terminal image sharing method, terminal device and communication system
Publication Date: 2017.04.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2905945B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP2905945B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~2c
  • EP2905945B1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose an inter-terminal graphic sharing method, a terminal device, and a communications system. In this method, a connection is established between a transmit end and a receive end by using a local area network, and the method includes: determining, by the transmit end, a sharing area on a graphic displayed on a screen of the transmit end; processing, by the transmit end, a graphic in a non-sharing area, so as to mask the graphic in the non-sharing area, where the non-sharing area is an area except the sharing area on the graphic displayed on the screen of the transmit end; and sending, by the transmit end, a processed graphic displayed on the screen to the receive end by using the local area network, so that the transmit end and the receive end share a graphic in the sharing area. According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is implemented that a part of a graphic is shared between two terminals in a local area network, thereby satisfying a security requirement and a personalized requirement of a user.